2023-05-06
Hebrews 1:14 NIV
God can come to you in varied forms. When Jesus appeared to His disciples and stilled the storm, they thought He was a ghost. So, your intellect can undermine your faith. The Bible says angels are “ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation.”
Have you ever seen an angel? They aren’t always dressed in white with dramatically arched wings. Sometimes they’re so ordinary that they’re overlooked. “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2 NIV).
Perhaps you think God doesn’t send angels because He has given us His Holy Spirit to help, protect, and guide us. Not so. Remember, God sent an angel to deliver Peter from prison on the eve of his execution. On his way to Rome, Paul was on board a ship that was destined to be destroyed by a ferocious storm. But God sent an angel to assure him he would survive it. So, Paul announced to the crew and passengers: “Take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul;’… Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me” (Acts 27:22-25 NKJV).
You may not be able to see angels, but you can be certain that they see you; indeed, they never take their eyes off you! (See Matthew 18:10.)
Soul food: Num 8-10; Matt 6:19-34; Ps 37:16-24; Prov 11:4
Hebreërs 1:14 NLV
God kan in verskeie vorms na jou toe kom. Toe Jesus aan sy dissipels verskyn het en die storm stilgemaak het, het hulle gedink dat Hy ‘n spook was. Jou intellek kan dus jou geloof ondermyn. Die Bybel sê dat engele ‘…geestelike wesens wat God uitstuur in belang van daardie mense wat gered gaan word,’ is.
Het jy al ooit ‘n engel gesien? Hulle is nie altyd in wit geklee met dramatiese groot vlerke nie. Soms is hulle so alledaags dat hulle oorgesien word. ‘Moenie nalaat om gasvry te wees nie. Deur gasvry te wees het party mense, sonder dat hulle dit besef, selfs engele tuis ontvang!’ (Hebreërs 13:2 NLV).
Miskien dink jy dat God nie vir ons engele stuur nie, omdat Hy sy Heilige Gees vir ons gegee het om ons te help, te beskerm en te lei. Dis egter nie so nie. Onthou, God het ‘n engel gestuur om Petrus die aand voor sy teregstelling uit die tronk te red. Paulus was op pad Rome toe op ‘n skip wat bestem was om deur ‘n woeste storm vernietig te word. God het egter ‘n engel gestuur om hom te verseker dat hy die storm sou oorleef. Dus het Paulus aangekondig: ‘…Hou moed! Daar sal verseker geen lewensverlies onder julle wees nie; net die skip sal tot niet gaan. Verlede nag het daar ‘n engel van die God aan wie ek behoort en wat ek dien, langs my gestaan en vir my gesê: ‘Hou op bang wees, Paulus…’ Verseker vertrou ek op God dat alles presies só sal gebeur soos Hy vir my gesê het’ (Handelinge 27:22-25 NLV).
Jy mag dalk nie in staat wees om engele te sien nie, maar jy kan seker wees dat hulle jou kan sien; hulle neem inderdaad nooit hulle oë van jou af nie (sien Matteus 18:10).
Sielskos: Num 8-10; Matt 6:19-34; Ps 37:16-24; Spr 11:4
2023-05-05
Ephesians 4:32 NLT
The Bible says: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (vv. 31-32 NLT).
Are you struggling to forgive someone? Here is a prayer: “Lord, I praise you for forgiving me and washing my sins away. Reveal anything I need to confess to you today so that I can bring it before you and be cleansed and set free, especially any place in my heart where I have not forgiven someone. I know how subtly resentment and bitterness can build up and hinder my prayers. I recognize that my lack of forgiveness toward others can keep me from experiencing your forgiveness (See Mark 11:25). To say that I need your help to forgive others the way you have always been forgiving toward me is a huge understatement. You forgave the unforgivable on the cross. I acknowledge that I am incapable of forgiving on my own. Remind me that I cannot make my forgiveness conditional upon whether people deserve it or not, and that the focus of my heart must remain on becoming more like you. Give me grace to forgive, and not hold forgiveness back until the other person says or does what I think they should. Take away anything of anger, bitterness, or resentment in my heart. Pour out your Spirit upon me and cleanse me of all that’s not of you. Enable me to walk in the forgiveness you have given me and to extend it to others. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
Soul food: Num 7; Matt 6:1-18; Ps 37:8-15; Prov 11:3
Efesiërs 4:32 NLV
Die Bybel sê: ‘Raak saam met alle ander slegte dinge ontslae van alle bitterheid, woede, wraak, geskel en gevloek. Wees eerder vriendelik met mekaar. Gee vir mekaar om. Vergewe mekaar soos God julle vergewe het op grond van wat Christus gedoen het’ (verse 31-32 NLV).
Sukkel jy om iemand te vergewe? Hier is ‘n gebed vir jou: ‘Here, ek loof U dat U my vergewe het en my sondes weggewas het. Openbaar enigiets wat ek vandag aan U moet bely, sodat ek dit voor U kan bring en daarvan gereinig en vrygemaak kan word, veral enige plek in my hart waar ek nie iemand vergewe het nie. Ek weet hoe subtiel wrokkigheid en bitterheid kan ophoop en my gebede kan verhinder. Ek besef dat my gebrek aan vergifnis teenoor ander my daarvan kan weerhou om u vergifnis te ervaar (sien Markus 11:25). U het die onvergeeflike aan die kruis vergewe. Ek besef dat ek nie in staat is om op my eie te vergewe nie. Herinner my dat ek nie my vergifnis voorwaardelik, op grond van of mense dit verdien of nie, kan maak nie en dat die fokus van my hart moet bly om meer soos U te probeer word. Gee my die genade om te vergewe en om nie vergifnis terug te hou totdat die ander persoon dit wat ek van hulle verwag, doen of sê nie. Verwyder enige woede, bitterheid en wrokkigheid uit my hart uit. Giet u Gees oor my uit en reining my van enigiets wat nie van U afkomstig is nie. Stel my in staat om in die vergifnis wat U vir my gegee het te wandel en dit na ander mense uit te reik. In Jesus se Naam bid ek dit. Amen.’
Sielskos: Num 7; Matt 6:1-18; Ps 37:8-15; Spr 11:3
2023-05-04
Exodus 35:35 NKJV
The Bible says God “filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver – those who do every work and those who design artistic works” (v. 35 NKJV). When God calls you to do something, He has already placed within you the ability to accomplish it. Satan hopes you never discover that. He wants you to remain trapped in the status quo, believing that the way things are is how they will always be. Not so! When you change your thinking, your life begins to change. “As he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7 KJV).
As long as you are content to remain as you are, you will never begin to think creatively. But when you decide you want your life to change for the better, you become teachable and open yourself to becoming creative. Like anything else in life, creativity begins with one idea. Then those ideas multiply! And each creative idea you have increases your ability to become a creative thinker.
Poet Maya Angelou observed: “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. Sadly, too often creativity is smothered rather than nurtured. There has to be a climate in which new ways of thinking, perceiving, and questioning are encouraged.”
If you cultivate creative thinking, there is no telling what kind of ideas you will come up with or how far you will go in life. Are you ready to start? Ask your Creator for a creative idea, then step out in faith and act on it.
Soul food: Num 4:34-6:27; Matt 5:38-48; Ps 37:1-7; Prov 11:1-2
